


I eat denial for breakfast

by TNKT



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Adorable Connor, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) is Bad at Feelings, Connor Deserves Happiness, Denial of Feelings, Deviancy (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Dog Sumo (Detroit: Become Human), Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hank Anderson & Connor Friendship, Hank Anderson & Connor Parent-Child Relationship, One Shot, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Supportive Hank Anderson, and is unintentionally a bit creepy, but still, i think, i'm not really sure what this is, is difficult, probably I mean this is Connor we're talking about
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 12:05:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18314948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TNKT/pseuds/TNKT
Summary: Hank still isn't used to Connor being there in the morning when he's not really supposed to, but he's fine with it because Sumo's happy to see the android before they leave to work.That morning, Connor seems troubled by their conversation.





	I eat denial for breakfast

The first thing Hank saw every morning was two very different yet similar faces looking at him expectantly from the side of his bed.  
Sumo sat there with his tongue lolling out onto the sheets as he panted in anticipation for his breakfast. Connor would be kneeling next to the dog as he waited for Hank to wake up.  
And every time Hank would open his eyes, he would somehow still be surprised by the android's presence in the room. It was one thing waking up to his big loveable dog's unpleasant breath, and another to witness a human head floating at the side of his bed first thing in the morning.

"Jesus, Connor!" he jumped and settled a hand over his hammering heart. "I told you not to do that!"

"I have nothing else to do, Lieutenant," the android immediately replied. "I did walk Sumo, but you still weren't awake when I came back."

"How the hell do I keep waking up to your goofy-lookin' face when you don't even live here," grumbled the man as he pulled back his covers. The android rose to his feet and stepped to the side to make way for Hank as he got out of bed, and Sumo lifted his butt off the floor to trot towards the kitchen.

"I'm sorry for frightening you, Lieutenant," the RK800 apologized as he watched the man pull on a pair of pants.

"Of course you are," Hank grumbled. "Tell me again why you come here every morning?"

"Because I want to. Besides, you told me Sumo was happy to see me."

"Yeah, but you don't have to come in my room with him so that you can both creepily stare at me while I sleep. That's not what I gave you those keys for."

"It disturbs you," observed Connor, ever the brilliant detective.

"Ya think?" Hank said in a voice dripping with sarcasm as he slipped on a shirt. Orange and green, striped but also covered in unidentifiable patterns- it didn't matter as long as it was comfortable. "My question is, why the hell do you do that?"

"I find it interesting to watch humans sleep," the android simply stated. "And you're the only one I can watch."

"Ain't that great," mumbled Hank in his beard. "Can't you just watch a video or something?"

"It's not the same."

Hank waited for Connor to expand on the subject, but the android had finished talking. Hank just raised both eyebrows and shrugged before following Sumo's trail, but then he stopped in the doorway and turned around. "So how long exactly do you stare at me in my sleep every morning?"

Connor avoided his gaze. "I'd rather not tell, if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Jesus. If you'd rather not tell, then I'd rather not know." Hank dropped the subject and trudged into the hallway. Connor was weird, end of story. So far he hadn't made a mess in the house despite having full access to it, so Hank didn't mind him coming and going as he pleased, especially since Sumo was so happy to have someone to play with in the early hours of the day. The dog seemed to be in better shape recently, what with all the walks Connor volunteered for and the frequent play fighting between the both of them. The android's behaviour towards Sumo had started out awkward at first, but he'd quickly gotten used to the dog and now they were basically best buds.

Hank saw that a plate had already been laid out on the kitchen table, two slices of bread were waiting in the toaster and there was a mug beneath the coffee machine. He went to turn on the toaster and checked the mug : it was full of dark steaming liquid.

He looked over at the android. "I told you you didn't need to do this."

Connor was busy playing paw-hand-paw with the dog and didn't even bother raising his gaze. "If you are talking about your breakfast, I did hear you the first time you told me. However, I find that I rather like helping you in your morning routine." 

"Suit yourself," shrugged Hank. 

As he waited for the toast, he watched Sumo slap a paw over Connor's hand and the android retaliate with his other hand. Before Connor had started visiting the house more frequently, Sumo had been a languid dog who didn't much use his toy. Seeing him now with his tongue happily hanging out and eyes gazing up adoringly at his playmate, Hank realized that it had been his fault Sumo was so passive. He loved the dog, he really did, but he hadn't had it in him to play with it all the time. There was the alcohol, there was the gun, there was the picture, and there were his thoughts : too many things that clouded Hank's brain and merely allowed him to reach out occasionally to give the dog's head a pat. The walks had been short and more of a requirement than something Hank had actually enjoyed. 

"Good boy, Sumo," Connor said as he rubbed the big dog's head. Sumo borfed and butted his muzzle against the android's arm, and a light smile appeared on Connor's lips.

The toast popped out and Hank dropped it on the plate, took his mug and went to sit down. Yeah, he was grateful for Connor's presence. He knew it was thanks to the android that both he and Sumo were experiencing something of a revival. He wasn't ready to admit it out loud, though. He wasn't sure Connor himself would understand that concept. 

Hank silently munched on his piece of bread. He was less grumpy then when he'd first woken up thanks to the heart-warming scene unfolding in front of him between his dog and his colleague, but he was still a bit disgruntled. It was too early for him, and it gave him a headache to see the android cop all ready and put together when he himself had barely woken up and was in crumpled clothes with the same eternal bags under his eyes. He'd seen the clock, too, and at this rate he was going to end up coming at work on time. He was onto Connor : he knew the android was trying to adjust his rythm of life to a healthier one. The stupid kid probably thought he was being smooth about it, too. But if he were to be honest, Hank didn't find it that annoying : the only thing that pissed him off was how easy it was for the android to look perfect even so early in the day. Hank had yet to see him run out of battery, but he was pretty sure Connor wouldn't ever look tired the way humans did. Speaking of battery...

"Hey, Connor," he finally spoke. "You still spend your nights in that charging station?"  
Hank knew the android needed to go in standby mode regularly to sort out whatever needed sorting out in his system and that he used that time to recharge at a station downtown, not far from the DPD. It was a simple charging station like there were many in Detroit, where androids used to be put away in narrow stalls to charge until they reached optimal battery levels. However, since the androids had been recognized as an intelligent species, the leaders of Jericho had wanted a less dehumanizing way to rest for their people and repurposed some buildings as dorms intended for android use. Despite that, Connor hadn't mentioned spending his nights anywhere else than that station.

"Yes," the android answered, confirming Hank's suspicions.

"Wouldn't it be more comfortable for you if you could lie down? I heard those new android dorms have individual beds."

"I don't need that." Connor was still looking at Sumo, but his hand had stopped moving and was simply resting on the dog's back.

"Why not?"

"I don't need to know that I am lying down to go in standby mode, unlike humans. Comfort is not a necessity to androids. "

"Then why do you think the other androids need those dorms?"

Connor finally looked up at him. "I don't know, Hank. But the charging station is enough for me."

His expression was neutral, but Hank thought he could detect a hint of tension in the android's voice. It was the same tension that appeared when Connor would be questioned about why he kept his android jacket instead of putting on a regular outfit at the DPD, or why he hadn't taken out his LED yet, or when he was asked to talk about his feelings. There had been a short while during which Hank had seen Connor show more emotion than usual : the window of time between the moment Fowler had kicked them off the investigation and the moment they'd reunited at the Chicken Feed.  
After that, Connor had reverted to a quieter way of expressing himself, despite the androids' new-found freedom. Hank wasn't sure why that was the case exactly, but it was clear that Connor had not completely come to terms with the fact that he was deviant.

"All right, Connor. Sorry for upsetting you," Hank calmly said.

Connor frowned lightly. "I'm not-"

"You are. I can tell," Hank said as he tapped the side of his head. "Your LED is yellow."

The android subconsciously lifted a hand to his LED and his gaze dropped to the ground. "Oh."

Then he turned away and started petting Sumo again without a word. Hank stared at the RK800 as he finished his toast, then got up to put his plate and mug in the sink. The silence between them stretched on as Hank washed everything and set it on the drying rack. He dried his hands and spun around.

"I'm just gonna brush my teeth and then we can go," he told the android.

"Yes, Lieutenant."

Hank spent exactly three minutes in the bathroom trying to make himself look a bit more presentable. If he'd really tried, he would've changed his pants, but he couldn't be bothered. He stepped out and went to the living room. Connor was standing next to the door and was playing with his coin. One glance at his LED told Hank that he'd calmed down on his own.

"Hey, Connor," Hank said as he approached.

The RK800 looked up. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

Hank stopped in front of him. The android was looking at him expectantly and the coin had stopped moving, but Hank wasn't sure he could find the right words to convey what he was thinking.

"Look... I don't mean to put you on the spot with my questions," he ended up saying.

"Of course," nodded Connor. "I didn't think you did."

"No, I mean... Uh..." Hank ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. "I've noticed it makes you uncomfortable when we talk about things like your appearance and your feelings."

Connor's LED briefly flashed yellow, but it quickly snapped back to blue. "It doesn't make me uncomfortable," he simply denied.

"Sure, whatever you say. That's not the point I'm trying to make. What I'm trying to say here is that I don't care that you don't feel at ease with deviancy."

This time Connor wasn't able to force his LED to go back to blue, and he must've realized that because he turned his face away from Hank to hide it. "I don't understand why any of this is relevant now," he said smoothly. "We should be going to work."

Hank sighed and took him by the shoulder. "Connor, I'm not blind, okay? I know you're having a hard time with all this deviancy shit. I don't know why, and I sure as hell ain't asking you to explain. I just don't want you to feel bad about yourself everytime we talk about why you're not doing so and so like the other androids are."

Connor didn't answer and looked away.

"It's fine if you're not the same as them," insisted Hank. "Adjusting to new things takes more time for some than for others. Don't let it get to you."

Connor opened his mouth to speak, and this time his voice didn't sound as steady as it usually was. It sounded much quieter, and dare Hank say it, almost vulnerable. "It isn't easy."

"It's not," agreed Hank. "But if there's one thing I know, though, it's that you're gonna be fine. You got me, you got Sumo, you got all your friends from Jericho. And I can tell you that me and Sumo don't care about what you choose to do, so long as you keep hanging around. Trust me on that one, Connor."

Connor looked at him, and Hank was unable to tell if he looked like he was about to smile or cry or run out of the house. He still couldn't see the color of the android's LED, but it was safe to say that he was perturbed. "I trust you, Hank. I think I'm just a little... scared."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised. I'd probably be shitting my pants if I were you. Emotions are a bitch, I can't imagine what it's like to get them dumped all over you like that for the first time."

Connor's lips quirked up into the ghost of a smile and he finally faced Hank, who glanced at the side of his forehead to see that the LED was still a shaken shade of yellow. 

"We should really get going," the android said.

Hank shook his head. "Not yet. Go give Sumo a hug, we can go when you've calmed down."

Connor opened his mouth to protest, but Hank raised a hand to stop him. "Go on."

Deeming any resistance to be futile, the android gave up and turned around to go get Sumo. As soon as he started walking towards the dog, Sumo got up excitedly and joined the android in the middle of the living room, where Connor kneeled down and wrapped his arms around the dog's neck. Sumo, being the good dog that he was, settled his head on the android's shoulder and let himself get hugged. Hank felt a smile tugging at his own lips when he saw the elated expression on his dog's face. Then Connor gave Sumo's head a pat and got back to his feet. When he turned around, his LED was back to normal. He straightened his tie and looked up at Hank.

"I'm ready, Lieutenant."

"Good," said Hank, and he opened the door.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey pumpkin.  
> My second offering to the DBH fandom and also specimen 38 of me being punched in the face by my curse : feeling inspired only when I'm supposed to study for exams.  
> Listen, I have no idea what this is. It started out as just fluff because I saw this [ adorable fanart](http://tcbunny.tumblr.com/post/183176273549/the-first-thing-that-hank-sees-every-morning), and then it started getting kind of angsty I guess because Connor struggles like that.
> 
> Okay well, here you go, take it. I had the hardest time coming up with a title since it deviated (haha) from its original premise and the title wasn't really adapted anymore. I'm not even sure the current title makes sense.
> 
> Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you feel like it!
> 
> Come by and say hi on [Tumblr](https://lost-tanuki.tumblr.com/post/184765301043/dbh-fics) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/losttanuki)!  
> I now have a Discord server called the Pumpkin Patch server, you can pm either me or eremazing on Tumblr/Twitter to join. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!
> 
> If you like my work, please consider supporting me on [Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/losttanuki)! Every little bit helps.


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